Torquing Lug Nuts with Torque Sticks 120ftlbs or 140?

[Orthok]

Hi,

I have a 2023 19" MYLR. I just rotated my tires and my Torque Sticks are either 120 Ft-lbs or 140 Ft-lbs. I understand my 19" Wheels and lug nuts should be Torqued to 129 Ft lbs, which one should i use?

For now I did 120 Ft Lbs as I was worried I might over torque the lug nuts, but I'm not sure which one i'm supposed to do.

Thanks.

 

[GHammer]

I wouldn't rely on torque sticks at all for final tightening. Use the 120's and do the final torque up with a hand torque wrench.

 

[Orthok]

I wouldn't rely on torque sticks at all for final tightening. Use the 120's and do the final torque up with a hand torque wrench.

Thanks for the feedback, the only type of wrench I have is one of those manual 4 post spinner ones so wouldn't be able to tell how much torque I'm putting down. but I guess I could muscle it down tight unless you recommend a certain technique.

Thanks!

 

[GHammer]

Thanks for the feedback, the only type of wrench I have is one of those manual 4 post spinner ones so wouldn't be able to tell how much torque I'm putting down. but I guess I could muscle it down tight unless you recommend a certain technique.

Thanks!

If you're going to do your own wheel swaps or rotations you should invest in a torque wrench, they're not that much.

 

[Chewy13]

Torque sticks should only be used with an impact wrench.
If you're using a hand tool, it doesn't work. You'll over torque.
$72 on amazon for a 1/2" torque wrench Amazon.com

 

[fiehlsport]

I've been doing 120ft-lbs for years. Before that, I was doing 92 on my Model 3. It was still tight and racked up plenty of miles before I actually learned the correct torque spec. 120 and 129 aren't going to make a difference.

 

[bzobzo]

Torque sticks should only be used with an impact wrench.
If you're using a hand tool, it doesn't work. You'll over torque.
$72 on amazon for a 1/2" torque wrench Amazon.com

Also, torque sticks are meant for use with air impact wrenches. Battery powered ones impact at a faster rate, they will tighten higher than specified.

For tightening lug nuts, I think a $20 Harbor Freight torque wrench is fine. As long as each nut is tightened to a consistent torque, getting to the exact specified torque won't make much difference as fiehlsport said.

 

[skydve1]

I'd rather under-torque with the impact, then fine tune by hand - so I use 120ft lb torque sticks, and follow up manually with a torque wrench.
9 times out of 10, the 120ft lb torque stick has me between 125-130ft lbs, so there's not much left to do with the torque wrench.

The torque sticks make rotating / changing tires on all of my vehicles a breeze!

 

[Orthok]

For the Torque Sticks, I am using a electric impact wrench. Not sure if i should be concerned vs using an air impact wrench

 

[Orthok]

So actually technically i'm using an electric "impact driver" not an impact wrench it's 2500 rpm and 300IPM. I used a 1/4" converter to 1/2" to get it to work with the torque sticks.

 

[Midnightsun]

Here we have mandatory dedicated winter tire laws so everyone changes wheels twice a year. Never seen any shops use a torque wrench or torque stick, they all rely on their impact guns. Although this is very questionable practice if you ask me, nobody seems to have issues. Personally I do wheel changes myself with a torque stick and high power battery operated impact. If you really want to get picky you should know that it is recommended to retorque after about 50 miles which I never see anybody follow up on either.

 

[Goobers]

I had a air impact, but I think it failed at some point. And I also have a battery impact. But I don't really use either of them. Mostly cause I forget.

That being said, I do notice that when putting wheels back on, there is plenty of movement from the wheel if I keep hitting the tire as I tighten the first nut (no wrench). I'll keep hitting the tires as I put the rest of the nuts, but most of the movement has stopped after the first nut. After all the nuts are on, I'll start lightly tightening with a wrench, then once more a bit harder. Once I have effectively zero movement from tightening as much as one hand with terrible leverage will get me, then I'll start torqueing the nuts with my torque wrench.

Before this habit of hitting the tire while putting on nuts, I would occasionally get vibrations from the wheels as I drive.

So yeah, not on topic, but I personally don't rely on impact drivers.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

Here we have mandatory dedicated winter tire laws so everyone changes wheels twice a year. Never seen any shops use a torque wrench or torque stick, they all rely on their impact guns. Although this is very questionable practice if you ask me, nobody seems to have issues. Personally I do wheel changes myself with a torque stick and high power battery operated impact. If you really want to get picky you should know that it is recommended to retorque after about 50 miles which I never see anybody follow up on either.

No issues as in their wheels didn't fall off?
Maybe they didn't but as you say using an air gun alone to tighten any important fastener is just lazy, sloppy, bad practise.
I've had many problems on my cars over the years due to mechanics not following the correct procedure and following the manufacturer's torque specs for nuts and bolts.
Doing anything up 'FT' is banned on my cars and in my workshop
If you've worked in motorsport for a while, you get it.

 

[ngng]

Here we have mandatory dedicated winter tire laws so everyone changes wheels twice a year. Never seen any shops use a torque wrench or torque stick, they all rely on their impact guns. Although this is very questionable practice if you ask me, nobody seems to have issues. Personally I do wheel changes myself with a torque stick and high power battery operated impact. If you really want to get picky you should know that it is recommended to retorque after about 50 miles which I never see anybody follow up on either.

Think about who is recommending retorquing after 50 miles and what they're using to torque your wheels

I'll recheck torque with new wheels hardware, but don't recheck for if nothing has changed. I use a quality torque wrench.

 

[Midnightsun]

Think about who is recommending retorquing after 50 miles and what they're using to torque your wheels

It's not the people in my area that recommend this, it's general practice. Google it.

 

[ngng]

It's not the people in my area that recommend this, it's general practice. Google it.

It’s a liability issue

 

[BroncoAZ]

I’ve used Milwaukee battery impact wrenches for the last ~6 years. There is a torque limiting setting to prevent them from overtorquing, then I finish with a torque wrench. As @bzobzo recommended, the $20 harbor freight torque wrench is suitable, and certainly better than just using an impact gun or torque stick. I have several torque wrenches from HF to Precision Instruments split beam and fancy electric ones, the one I keep in my work truck for frequent roadside use on company vehicles is the HF special. Torque sticks wear out and can snap over time, I’m not a fan.

Worth having at $22. There have been many online tool test videos showing that in the middle to upper range these wrenches deliver within the 4% spec.

1/2 in. Drive 10-150 ft. lb. Click Torque Wrench

Amazing deals on this 1/2In Dr Click Type Torque Wrench at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[FastEddieB]

Another option is to use physics and a spring scale. In lieu of a spring scale you can also use a known weight, such as a barbell plate.

You can get 120 ft lbs (for example) by applying 120 lbs at an arm (wrench length) of 1 ft. Or, more conveniently, 60 lbs at 2’, or 30 lbs at 4’. You can get these arms and leverage pretty easily with a pipe slipped over a breaker bar and a tape measure. Simple math to get the weight needed for any given torque required (weight x arm = moment) moment in this case being torque.

I’ve been lambasted on other forums for daring something so foolhardy. But all a torque wrench does is try to emulate the above physics with springs and detents or whatever. This method is equally - or more - accurate given a reliable spring scale or known weight.

As a recent example, I had to secure 2 bolts on a trailer hitch to 260 ft lbs. Not having a torque wrench that goes that high, I got my wife of appropriate weight to stand 2’ out on a pipe attached to a breaker bar. Voilá! 260 ft lbs.

 

[ngng]

Another option is to use physics and a spring scale. In lieu of a spring scale you can also use a known weight, such as a barbell plate.

You can get 120 ft lbs (for example) by applying 120 lbs at an arm (wrench length) of 1 ft. Or, more conveniently, 60 lbs at 2’, or 30 lbs at 4’. You can get these arms and leverage pretty easily with a pipe slipped over a breaker bar and a tape measure. Simple math to get the weight needed for any given torque required (weight x arm = moment) moment in this case being torque.

I’ve been lambasted on other forums for daring something so foolhardy. But all a torque wrench does is try to emulate the above physics with springs and detents or whatever. This method is equally - or more - accurate given a reliable spring scale or known weight.

As a recent example, I had to secure 2 bolts on a trailer hitch to 260 ft lbs. Not having a torque wrench that goes that high, I got my wife of appropriate weight to stand 2’ out on a pipe attached to a breaker bar. Voilá! 260 ft lbs.

This is how I've re-calibrated torque wrenches in the past that have been sitting in storage. It's an option, but not one that I prefer. For anybody planning on R&Ring their wheels, it's a no brainer to grab a cheapie.

 

[ngng]

I have mobile service downstairs replacing a failed ASB sensor on my Y with 5k miles. If anybody is wondering, they don't use a torque stick or a torque wrench. I think they're using 7 ugga duggas and calling it good. This is why I work on my own vehicles.